This invention relates to an apparatus and method for accurate placement and installation of molding.
Molding is used as finish trim on walls either adjacent the floor and ceiling. This molding serves many different functions, including the decorative enhancement of a room and concealment of an intersection between a ceiling and walls. Molding placed adjacent to the floor is referred to as “base molding” and molding placed adjacent the ceiling is referred to as “crown molding.” The installation of this molding at the corner intersection of two adjacent walls is notoriously difficult, sometimes requiring the cooperation of two or more workers. For example, at a 90-degree inside or outside corner segment of a room, it is a well-known and established practice to miter-cut an end of two separate pieces of molding strips at opposing 45-degree angles. With an end of each molding strip cut at 45-degrees, they form the required 90-degree angle when positioned adjacent each other at the corner segment of the room.
Installing these corner pieces is difficult because it is not always easy to orient molding pieces properly along the edge of the wall. During installation, these pieces often become misaligned and contain visible flaws. For example, installation of corner crown molding is typically done by holding one corner segment at an intersection of ceiling and wall while the molding is secured with nails or screws. The second corner segment is then installed adjacent the first corner piece. This imprecise method frequently results in inaccurate placement resulting in misalignment of intersecting crown molding segments at the corners of the room. This is particularly true when molding is secured with a hammer and nails since the impact of the hammer can move and cock the molding as it is secured to the wall and ceiling.
These imprecise joints at the corners are unattractive and detract from the appearance of the molding. As a result, installation of molding is usually too difficult for the average homeowner or do-it-yourselfer. Typically, the creation of properly aligned mitered joints at molding intersections requires the skills of an experienced coping carpenter who meticulously sculpts the ends of intersecting lengths of molding with a small coping saw to fit together and form the corner joint.